5/28/12

5/27/12

I’ve had this post waiting in my draft folder for a few months now. I took these photos at the Vancouver Aquarium in January.

Contrary to what you might see in my photography, I’ve never considered myself a pink person. And yet here we are, with all of my favourite images bursting with every interpretation of pink. Pastel, bubblegum, lilac and heliotrope, magenta, fuschia, and coral polka-dots. I think it’s time to own up to it.

5/26/12

I have a day off in the middle of the week. It’s great- it allows me to feel a certain level of productivity that I tend to want to throw out the window on the weekend. I can do errands and groceries while the shops are fairly quiet, and I can visit and photograph normally busy tourist spots while everyone is at work. On one such day off, I took a walk down to the Parkway. I timed it, too- 20 minutes from my door to the river.

The Ottawa River Parkway has a bike path that runs along the water, enabling cyclists and joggers to exercise en plein air. There are several stops along the way, benches perched on lookouts, or low rocky shores where you can sit in the shade by the water.

I took this walk with the sole purpose of finding ducklings or goslings. I knew it was that time of year and I wanted to see them up close. I wandered along, taking pictures of wildflowers, and arrived at Remic Rapids. This was the first glance of a Canada Goose family:

They cautiously watched me from the water, and eventually they climbed up the hill. I realized that there were several families, and the adults were literally herding goslings up to the grass along the bike path.

They came in an endless stream- I don’t think I could have counted accurately, but there had to be at least fifty of them. I sat in the grass with my camera and watched them waddle about and graze.

Every once in a while they had to sit down.

No ducklings this time, but I am sure I will see them soon. At least I’ve got my fuzzy yellow bum fix until then.

5/8/12

Usually I gravitate toward cool colours, and I’m not an enthusiastic fan of bright orange or yellow. But I love peachy corals and buttery golds, when it’s done like this in Algonquin College’s tulip flowerbeds. I love the little pops of blue grape hyacinth and smaller cherry-red tulips planted at their feet. A short, blossoming shrub draped untamed branches between the flowers, giving it a woodsy feel.

5/2/12

5/1/12

When we came home from a lovely walk in the sunshine, we found that it was spilling into the house as well. One of the cats was soaking it up on the bedroom floor, painted with shadows from the window blinds. Naturally, I took a hundred pictures of her; she loves that kind of attention.

Once she lost interest (before I did) I handed the camera to my husband who took some pictures of me with the same shadows. I looked pretty spooky in most of them, like I was wearing war paint or something. It was fun though!

I am really fortunate to be part of FPOE, a community of women who are connected by photography. Even though we all share the same passion, I am fascinated by how different we all are. For example, I am curious and love to quietly observe. I started to wonder how our different personalities affect our view through the lens. So I asked:

What personality traits or unique skills do you have that contribute to your photography? Is it:

...your compassion that is reflected in your portraits of people?...your observant nature that finds the smallest details?...your adventurous spirit that takes you to interesting locations?

Here are some of the responses I received:

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Geekgirly describes herself as bold, which is a word she says others have used to describe her photography. It is certainly true when you see the sharp contrast or a single pop of colour in her images.

Crissy from Dull Blue Light notes her attention to detail as an asset, and says she sees the little things to which "most people never would have paid attention."

:::

Two women gave almost opposite answers:

Martha of Dragonfly Photography is "fearless" and doesn't follow standard operating procedures like her scientist husband. "He says I 'Forrest Gump' my way through the process... I have no technical knowledge and refuse to learn proper camera technique."

Ashleigh of Bleu Oiseau has a scientific background (a degree in Resource Biology and an interest in Ornithology) which is "why you see a lot of birds and landscapes" in her photography. The challenge is finding a creative balance, though. Ashleigh says, "I took a photography class in college and my professor said my photos were too forensic."

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Others had some very deep thoughts on the matter:

Kell from Blackcurrant Shop uses her knowledge of portraiture and art history to bring life to her floral subjects. "I try to think of my flowers as models... I want the image to evoke an emotion, like a portrait would." Day to day, she also keeps her mind "switched on to how things would look through the lens," so she can go back later and look more closely with her camera.

Sonya from Kanelstrand views photography as "a way of living," and that "every bit of a photographer's character is mirrored in her photography." She is patient, observant and quiet- "traits that help me when I am outdoors, taking photos," she says. Her imagination comes to life at home while processing her work. "By applying your skills, character and vision to that moment, you create a story for your viewers and that is what art is all about."

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If you are a member of FPOE and would like to be included in future interviews, please keep an eye out in our Etsy Team Forum, where the questions will be posted.

About Me

I love city life and natural landscapes that marry well. In the spring, summer, fall and winter I spend a lot of time outdoors with my camera, looking for lovely things to photograph, like butterflies, birds, flowers and trees.